# Plain Packaging.



## Mante (Dec 25, 2009)

And so it begins.
BAT launches High Court pack challenge | Herald Sun

Please do not discuss politics in this thread as no matter whom the ruling party is this is bigger than that as far as us tobacco users are concerned. I will mediate this thread myself & the first person that mentions politics will get negative RG.

The point here is that the Aus government has decided to outlaw a legal product by stealth. The big tobacco companies are watching this as it will have repercussions worldwide. Altadis, General Cigar & the rest are watching this avidly I can assure you but the writ will not be heard or a court date set until at least april next year. I love the legal system when it works since this is due to become applied in december next year but I feel it has no chance.


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## sengjc (Nov 15, 2010)

Very discomforting for sure.

Not sure how they will manage to enforce it for cigars though. We all know cigars come in many shapes and sizes, not to mention packaging.


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## Mante (Dec 25, 2009)

sengjc said:


> Very discomforting for sure.
> 
> Not sure how they will manage to enforce it for cigars though. We all know cigars come in many shapes and sizes, not to mention packaging.


Habanos SA has already stated their position on this, no more Cubans for Aus.


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## Andrewdk (Feb 3, 2011)

I don't think this is being enforced against cigars and pipe tobacco, just cigarettes.

Interesting though, not that I think it's an issue here, but how much easier does this make it for counterfeit producers without any distinctive marks or packaging to protect a trademark.

What really irks me though is the thousands of dollars of our tax money that would have been consumed giving birth to this trash. Policy formulation, parliamentary lawyers drafting the bills, parliament debating and voting, finally publication and enforcement. Probably could have hired a few more doctors or teachers for that. Nobody asked me if I wanted plain packaging bastards.


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## Andrewdk (Feb 3, 2011)

Tashaz said:


> Habanos SA has already stated their position on this, no more Cubans for Aus.


Holy shite! That's extreme, but I guess when you're Habanos you can write your own rulebook. The few online vendors that mostly sell Cubans are gonna be pissed. Suppose we'll be seeing more NCs, not that you'd buy them at local prices anyway.


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## sengjc (Nov 15, 2010)

Tashaz said:


> Habanos SA has already stated their position on this, no more Cubans for Aus.


Doesn't really affect me much though, I haven't been buying many boxes of Cubans from AUS either.


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## sengjc (Nov 15, 2010)

Andrewdk said:


> ...What really irks me though is the thousands of dollars of our tax money that would have been consumed giving birth to this trash. Policy formulation, parliamentary lawyers drafting the bills, parliament debating and voting, finally publication and enforcement. Probably could have hired a few more doctors or teachers for that. Nobody asked me if I wanted plain packaging bastards.


Only thousands? Sure more... :lol:


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## Mante (Dec 25, 2009)

LOL. The truth is it will just kill the local retailers as most of us buy overseas anyway. Really stupid move by Roxon (Whom will not comment now it seems) since the tobacco tax pays for up to 60% of the healthcare system.


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## sengjc (Nov 15, 2010)

Did herself out of a job?


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## Mante (Dec 25, 2009)

sengjc said:


> Did herself out of a job?


That would be a nice start to this debacle. ound:


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## sengjc (Nov 15, 2010)

OMG, the world economy is going into the shitter.


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## fiddlegrin (Feb 8, 2009)

Wow!
That packaging law is... frrrrrreaking preposterous! :jaw:


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## Enrique1780 (Jan 25, 2010)

Tashaz said:


> Habanos SA has already stated their position on this, no more Cubans for Aus.


That's a shame


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## usrower321 (Mar 27, 2011)

Politics.


Sorry I had to.

On a more serious note that's devastating for small businesses and cigar smokers if Habanos SA said it was done. However, I thought this law was only for cigarettes not cigars or pipe tobacco. Can anyone clarify?


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## snagstangl (Aug 21, 2010)

i guess we could turn this hobby into one big blind sampler. Doesnt give you much incentive to pay for high priced sticks, who know what you are getting.


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## JGD (Mar 2, 2009)

Tashaz said:


> Habanos SA has already stated their position on this, no more Cubans for Aus.


This surprises me. It seems as if Mexico has a similar law, where more that half the box must be covered with a giant black sticker. If they made arrangements to still sell to Mexico, why not do something similar with Australia?


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## Mante (Dec 25, 2009)

JGD said:


> This surprises me. It seems as if Mexico has a similar law, where more that half the box must be covered with a giant black sticker. If they made arrangements to still sell to Mexico, why not do something similar with Australia?


I should clarify. Habanos has said they will not label or change the box color to suit the Aus market as it would be cost prohibitive. Remember we are talking whole boxes that are drab olive in color. For the distributors to apply whole box coverings & labels would be unviable.

To the mod team, I am sorry for the Habanos reference here & if this needs to be moved go right ahead, it is mentioned as a passing example only & in truth applies to all manufacturers.



> However, I thought this law was only for cigarettes not cigars or pipe tobacco. Can anyone clarify?


 The wording of the legislation is "Tobacco Products" though it seems to be discussed & reported as "Cigarettes". The tobacco tax and labeling is already applied to all tobacco products so I think it's a safe bet that cigars are included.


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## Tan18_01 (Jun 2, 2011)

JGD said:


> This surprises me. It seems as if Mexico has a similar law, where more that half the box must be covered with a giant black sticker. If they made arrangements to still sell to Mexico, why not do something similar with Australia?


So we've already got the big black sticker. 
What this legislation equals is plain packaging for the whole box/packet WITH the big black sticker.
I don't normally swear online, but its a big F&%KIN load of [email protected]!T.

When they were proposing this legislation, HSA came out with a letter that said they would have to reconsider their position if the plain packaging passed (last I read).


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## Tan18_01 (Jun 2, 2011)

Tashaz said:


> The wording of the legislation is "Tobacco Products" though it seems to be discussed & reported as "Cigarettes". The tobacco tax and labeling is already applied to all tobacco products so I think it's a safe bet that cigars are included.


Yep, as Warren said legislation states for "Tobacco Products". sigh.....
I believe a certain store owned by a man named Rob (mods, if this eludes too much to the vendor please feel free to edit it out) submitted a recommendation to make it cigarettes only/exempt cigars from the legislation. It was a well written piece with logical and thought out reasoning (logical and thought out....I guess that means its going to be rejected anyway). I can no longer find it on the govt. site that it was submitted on so I guess they've ignored it.
There have been other submissions from cigar stores in Aus, but I don't know the progress of any of them.


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## sengjc (Nov 15, 2010)

Just have to adapt to survive.

Nothing has been said about personal imports yet.


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